A male individual on 17 December 2024 assaulted journalist Sanja Kosović from N1 TV (https://n1info.rs/) outside the Vojvodina Assembly in Novi Sad, Serbia, by hitting her microphone twice. The attack occurred after Kosović questioned him about allegedly pushing a woman, causing her to fall. He said after this incident to Nova.rs “I didn’t attack any journalist. She pushed the microphone at me. I’m going my own way, I have my own business. I didn’t physically attack anyone, I didn’t even touch anyone, I hit the microphone. They attacked me, surrounded me while I was making my way through the crowd”.
You can see the video that N1 posted here: https://n1info.rs/vesti/ispred-skupstine-vojvodine-napadnuta-novinarka-n1/
Several students who participated in a protest tried to calm the man down, but he angrily demanded to pass and walked away, reportedly frustrated by the student protest blocking his path.
The students had gathered outside the assembly building, making noise as an ongoing session inside focused on the province’s 2025 budget. The session has drawn criticism, with the proposed budget passing without any debate. Earlier, journalists were forcibly removed from the assembly hall by security, barring them from covering the proceedings.
Meanwhile, opposition parties in Serbia expressed dissatisfaction, calling for discussions on the demolition of a shelter at the train station that happened on 1 November 2024 in Novi Sad, Serbia, and the ongoing student protests that are happening all around Serbia. Their requests to add these issues, as well as the dismissal of Assembly President, to the agenda were denied.
The situation highlights growing tensions around governance, press freedom, and public dissent in the province of Vojvodina, with protesters and opposition leaders voicing frustration at the lack of accountability and open debate.
The South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) condemns this incident and the removal of journalists from the session. SEEMO stands in solidarity with Kosović and all media professionals facing intimidation and violence, and SEEMO will be closely monitoring the situation to ensure accountability and the protection of journalists in the region.
South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) is a regional non-governmental, non profit network of editors, media executives and leading journalists in Southeast, South, East and Central Europe. SEEMO members are in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova (with the territory of Transdnestria), Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Türkiye / Turkey, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Austria, Italy, Vatican and San Marino have a special status in SEEMO. SEEMO has over 3000 individual members, and additional media as corporate members.
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